Retractable seal for a hinged door



Aug. 26, 1958 K. B. THOMPSON RETRACTABLE SEAL FOR A HINGED DOOR Filed Dec.

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United States Patent RETRACTABLE .SEAL FOR A I-[INGED DOOR Kenneth B. Thompson, Hickman Mills, Mo. Application December-:11, 1956, Serial No. 627,675

Claims. (CI. 20-68) This invention relates to an improvement of a retractable seal for mounting on the .lower portion of a hinged door, and more particularly to the length of the sealing strip being automatically stretched to the width of a door casing when the door thereof is closed.

Heretofore retractable seals .have been mounted on hinged doors for sealing the space between the bottom of the door .andthe threshold thereof. The actuator membersof hinged door seals are old and well known. .Resilientconnectors between the sealing strip supports and the actuator members are old.

An object of the present invention is .to provide toggle hinged members connected between .a plurality of resilient sealing stripretainers and equalizer beams to.spread the sealing strip retainers along the sealing strip whereby the resilient sealing strip will be stretched through a portion of the mid-length thereof and the ends thereof are pressed against a door casing having a greater width than the door thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide resilient connectors between equalizer beams and the resilient sealing strip retainers whereby the actuator members when the door is closed will force the equalizer beams and retainers to force the resilient sealing strip against an irregular or'curvedsurface o'f'a threshold-when badly worn.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a divided or lapped cover plate on the retractable seal whereby the over all length thereof may be adjusted so as to correspond With the width of the door therefor.

With these objects in view the invention will be more easily understood from the accompanying drawing, this specification, and the claims appended.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevational view of the retractable seal mounted on the lower end portion of a closed hinged door. The door, door casing and threshold are illustrated in fragmentary form, the journalscrews and the cover plate of the retractable seal are removed to illustrate the working parts. The sealing strip is pressed downwardly against the threshold and stretched to the width of the door casing.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the housing of the retract able seal.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the actuator portion illustrating the end that strikes the casing when the door is closed.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the actuator portion that retracts the retractable seal when the hinged door is opened.

Figure 5 is a longitudinally enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of the toggle hinged members connecting the end portions of the resilient sealing strip retainers in spaced tandem relation. End portions of the equalizer beams are resiliently connected to the toggle hinged members. The compression spring is expanded and the parts in a retracted position for an opened door.

of the door 15 'by the two journal-screws 25.

2,848,767 Patented Aug. .26, 1958 ice Figure .6 is a longitudinally enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of one end portion of an equalizer beam resiliently connected to one end portion of a fragmentary portion of a sealing strip stiff retainer. The compression spring is expanded and the parts are in a retracted position for an open door. A fragment of a door, casing, and threshold are relatively illustrated.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 5 with the exception that the compression spring is partially compressed and the parts illustrated are in position for a closed hinged door. The resilient seal strip is stretched by the toggle hinged members increasing the space between .the stiff retainers.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary View similar to Figure 6 with the exception that the compression spring is partially compressed and the parts illustrated are in position for aclosed hinged door. The end of the resilient sealing strip is shown forced endwise against the fragment of a casing and downwardly against the fragment of athreshold.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on lines 99 of Figure l with the cover plate and mounting journal-screws being illustrated in position.

Figure 10 is an enlarged detailed plan view of the toggle hinged members in an open flattened position.

The hinged vertical door 15, door casing 16, door hinge 17, and threshold 18 are all old and well known and shown in fragmentary form.

The housing or case for the retractable seal is preferably Inade with a longitudinal mounting plate 19 having a .top integral flange 20 turned at right angles thereto, a cover plate preferably made in two pieces 21 and 22 lapped together at.23 is spaced from the mounting plate 19 by the flange 20, and all are held in the recess 24 Cover plate portion 21 has an end flange 26, and cover plate portion22 has an end flange 27 held to the edges of the door 15 by screws 28. The bottom longitudinal edges of the mounting plate 19 and cover plate portions 21 and 22 are preferably flush with the bottom of the door 15 and the over all length of the cover plate portions 21 and 22 is slidably adjusted with the lap 23 to preferably equal the Width of the door.

The resilient sealing strip 29 has a normal length substantially equal to the Width of the hinged door 15. A plurality of stiff retainers 30 are spaced in tandem along the length of the resilient sealing strip 29 and are preferably of channel shape clamped on the sealing strip 29, and cemented to the end portions of the resilient sealing strip 29. Toggle hinge members 31 couple the spaced ends of the stiff retainers 30 and are provided with a hole 32 to receive the tie bolt 33.

Equalizer beams 34 are normally spaced parallel above the stiff retainers 30 and are resiliently coupled or connected to the stifi? retainers 30 by compression springs 35 and 36. The bolts 37 connect one end portion of the equalizer beams to the still retainers 3t and tie bolt 33 connects the opposite end portions of the equalizer beams 34 to the toggle hinged members 31.

The actuator members being generally old in the art comprise the bell cranks 55, each having one lever 56 pivotally connected at 37 to the mid-length of a respective improved equalizer beam 34 and each having the opposite lever 38 pivotally connected at 39 with a longitudinal bar 40, a striker bar 41 adjustably connected at 42 to one end portion of the bar 4-0 to strike the door casing 16, a recoil compression spring 43 having a guide link 44 pivotally connected with the opposite end of the bar at 45 and having a guide lug 46.

The retractable seal may be mounted on the door same general functions as heretofore described.

As illustrated the longitudinal mounting plate 19 is set in the recess 24 with the flange 20 on top. The lug 4 6 is secured-to the mounting plate 19. A pair of holes 47 are spaced in the mounting plate 19 to receive .the journal-screws 25 to pivot the bell cranks 55.

When the door 15 is open the position of the equalizer beams 34, resilient sealing strip 29 and stitf retainers 30 are positioned as illustrated in Figures and 6 The resilient sealing strip is retracted to the substantial width of the door and the bottom of the sealing strip is substantiallyflush with the bottom of the door. This position is accomplished by the recoil compression spring 43 bearing against the guide lug 46 and one :end of the longitudinal bar 40 to force the striker bar 41 on the opposite end thereof to project a suflicient distance beactuator members being connected with said equalizer beams, journal screws adapted to be secured to a door, said actuator members being supported by said journal screws, said actuator members being located to move said equalizer beams toward said stitf retainers and the toggle hinged members so as to spread said stiff retainers to a greater spacing, and said resilient sealing strip being stretched through a portion of the mid-length thereof so as to have the ends thereof adapted to be pressed against a door casing having a greater width than the door thereof when the door is closed.

2. A retractable seal as claimed in claim 1; a cover plate, and said cover plate being divided with the ends yondthe width of the door to operate the bell cranks v An extension stiff member 48 is attached to the stiff Q retainers by screw 49 and is used for further adjustment of the length when desired.

What I claim, as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A retractable seal for a hinged door; the retractable seal comprising: a resilient sealing strip, said resilient sealing strip having a normal length so as to be the equivalent to the substantial width of a hinged door, a plurality of stiff retainers, said stiff retainers being spaced in tandem along the length of said resilient sealing strip, said stiff retainers supporting said resilient sealing strip, toggle hinged members, said stiff retainers being coupled by said toggle hinged members, a plurality of equalizer beams, said equalizer beams being normally spaced parallel with said stiif retainers, said equalizer beams being resiliently coupled to said stiff retainers and said toggle hinged members, actuator members adapted to be moved by the closing of a door against a .casing thereof, said thereof lapped together so as the overall length thereof may be adapted" to be slidably adjustable to equal the width of a door, and means adapted to secure said cover plate to a door. a

3. A retractable seal as claimed in claim 1; a mounting plate adapted to be placed between'the 'door and said actuating members, said mounting plate having a length substantially the width of a door, a flange, said flange being located at a right angle to the upper edge of the mounting plate and projected over said actuating members, and said journal screws adapted to support said mounting plate. I .4. A retractable seal as claimed in claim 3; a cover plate, and said cover plate being. spaced from said mounting plate by the right angle, flange of the mounting plate and said actuator members, and said cover plate being supported by said journal screws. j 5. A retractableseal as claimed in claim 4; and said cover plate being divided with the ends thereof lapped together so as the overall length thereof may be adapted to be slidably adjustable to equal the width of a door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,677,067 Zimmerman et al July 10, 1928 2,516,953 Brunker Aug. 1, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 213,795 Great Britain .Apr. 10, 1924 

